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Toluene

Toluene Prices, markets & analysis

With a network of price reporters across Asia, Europe and the US, ICIS is fully equipped to keep you updated on everything that happens in the global Toluene market, whether you buy or sell Toluene or related products.

From daily and weekly reports containing price assessments obtained by our network of local reporters, to the news and analysis that put the market into focus, we provide the tools you need to make confident business decisions.

Toluene overview Transcript

Toluene is a basic chemical and a feedstock for a wide range of applications.

Toluene is used primarily as a solvent for paints, coatings and cleaners in China, Southeast Asia and India. It is also used widely in this region for the production of toluene diisocyanate or TDI.

Toluene’s use is key in the production of benzene and mixed xylenes via toluene disproportionation or TDP, and hydro dealkylation or HAD, which make up about 20% of Asia’s aromatics production.

The use of toluene as a blendstock for gasoline blending is a key emerging segment in Asia. It started with the US, where MTBE was banned from the gasoline pool resulting in the increased use of toluene as an octane booster. In Asia toluene’s consumption for gasoline blending is increasing rapidly, especially in countries like China, which is expected to soon become the world’s largest car market.

Toluene is produced from the catalytic reforming of naphtha and from pyrolysis gasoline coproduced in the steam cracking of liquid feedstocks.

Not surprisingly China is the largest importer in Asia. It imports between 50,000 and 70,000 tonnes of toluene every month. But regional exporters are facing stiff competition following capacity additions by local giants like Sinopec, hence toluene exporters in Asia are increasingly turning towards India. India is seen as the next most rapidly growing market with estimated growth at about 7 to 8% per year.

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Toluene news and market information products from ICIS

We offer the following regional Toluene analysis and news coverage
to keep you informed of factors and developments affecting prices
in the Toluene marketplace.

Price reporting

Price Reporting – More information about the price reports we publish on Toluene

Upstream of Toluene

Toluene

Downstream of Toluene

Market overview

Toluene: Market overview

Updated to Q1 2015

Asian spot toluene values are expected to track benzene and paraxylene (PX) price movements. Supply is anticipated to increase as more toluene disproportionation (TDP) and PX units run at reduced rates in the first quarter (Q1) on PX margin concerns. However, downstream demand, including those from gasoline blending and solvents, is expected to remain subdued due to falling crude futures and the Lunar New Year holidays in February.

The short-term future of the US toluene markets hinge on the price of crude oil. Energy futures have been plunging for several months, with NYMEX West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropping more than 50% since June . The toluene has tracked the decline, and the downward trajectory has not shown signs of where it will end.

European toluene spot prices depend to a large extent on gasoline values. Weak aromatics prices have limited the use of toluene for on-purpose benzene production. Gasoline blenders are seen as the only sizeable bidders in the market. Downstream toluene di-isocyanate (TDI) needs are covered primarily by contracts, and new TDI capacity has limited impact on the market. Contract values are expected to continue to track spot price movements.

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Toluene Methodology

ICIS pricing quotes toluene in Europe, Asia-Pacific, China and the US Gulf.

About

About Toluene

Toluene is a colourless, mobile liquid with a characteristic sweet, pungent, benzene-like odour. It is an irritant to the eyes, skin, nose and lungs. Toluene is a dangerous fire hazard and can lead to a flashback due to its heavy vapour.

The main chemical use of toluene is to make benzene and xylenes using a number of technologies.

Toluene is also used in solvent applications and is consumed in the manufacture of toluene diisocyanate (TDI) which is used in the manufacture of polyurethane foams. Smaller uses for TDI include polyurethane elastomers and coatings.

Other minor chemical uses include the manufacture of phenol, caprolactam, nitrobenzene, benzoic acid and benzyl chloride.

In non-chemical uses, toluene is used in large quantities as an octane booster in gasoline but most of that portion remains in the refinery streams.

There are three grades of toluene: TDI grade of 99+% purity; nitration grade at 98.5-100%.

The original source of toluene from coke-oven gas has been replaced by the catalytic reforming of naphthas and from pyrolysis gasoline co-produced in the steam cracking of liquid feedstocks. A very small amount is still produced from light oil formed by the carbonisation of coal.